Ball rolling game



June 4, 1941. B G, MacDOUGALL 2,247,@95

BALL ROLLING GAME Filed Nov. 21, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W26 Inf/6121702" @MQENPW June 24, 19411.. B. G. MacDOUGALL BALL ROLLING GAME Filed Nov. 21, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2?? MQQMM L421 9.

,0? fiwen [or k 15072? G Hacflmyu Z Z Patented June 24, 1941 srn'rs BALL ROLLING GAME Application November 21, 1938, Serial No. 241,555

2 Claims.

The invention relates to a ball rolling game of the pin b-all type modified in a novel manner to simulate a bowling game.

Games of this sort, utilizing bowling pins have heretofore been used with the ten bowling pins hinged to the ball rolling surface. In the present game it is proposed to hinge the bowling pins intermediate their ends in a statically balanced manner on horizontal axes disposed above the ball rolling surface. Each pin is disposed in an electric circuit and carries a contact switch arm cooperable with overhead contact wires, also in the circuit, so that when a pin is impinged by a rolling ball, it will swing about its axis and cause the associated switch arm to contact the said overhead wire, thereby momentarily closing the circuit to energize a relay which may in turn operate an auxiliary, such for example, as a score register device.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved amusement game of the ball rolling type.

Another object is to ball type, manner.

Still another object is to provide a novel way of supporting miniature or simulated bowling pins in relation to a ball rolling surface.

Another important object is to utilize the bowling pins in a manner when hit by a ball to cooperate with improved circuit means to cause operation of an electrical auxiliary such as a score register.

Another general object is to provide a novel suspended type of obstacle for ball rolling games in which the obstacle, or obstacles are hingedly carried on an axis above the table, said obstacles having generally the shape of a bowling pin or some equivalent, analogous shape.

Other important objects will become apparent as the disclosure is more fully made.

In the drawings, illustrating one form which the invention may assume in practice:

Figure 1 is a general plan view of the improved game, there being included, a typical wiring diagram for an electric circuit;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

provide a game of the pin simulating a bowling game in a novel Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the indicated direction; and,

Figure 4 is a detail, cross sectional view through a bowling pin obstacle, taken along the line i-4 of Figure 3, as indicated,

ants

By way of example, the game may be housed in a conventional pin ball game type of cabinet Ill, having a front wall II and a ball rolling table I2 sloped slightly from the horizontal with its low end disposed adjacent the front wall I I. The forward or low end of the table carries a ball deflector plate I3 to lead spent balls to a ball drop opening I4 in a manner well understood in this art. The upper or high end of the table carries the usual arch plate I5 and ball rebound bumper spring I6. Along the right hand side of the table, as viewed in Figure 1, is a longitudinal partition I'I formed as a continuation of the plate I3, thereby providing a ball projection passage l8 along which balls may be projected by a manually operable spring plunger projector IQ of a kind known in the art. A ball so projected goes along the passage I8, around the arch I5 and hits the bumper IE, to rebound and then by gravity roll down the table to the low end thereof and finally to be received by the ball drop opening I4. By conventional means, not shown, these dropped balls are returnable one at a time to a position in the passage I8 to be acted upon by the projector I9. At the left hand side of the game is another partition 28, which in height is the counterpart of the one I I. A top glass panel 2| serves to cover the game.

These side partition members I! and 26 serve as supports for a series of four spaced transverse rods or shafts 22 made of conductor material, said rods being at their ends respectively secured in upright brackets 23. The supports I1 and 20 are of wood, in other Words, of non-conductor material.

As appears in Figure 1 these shafts 22 are cross connected by a wire 24, leading to one side of a source of electrical energy, represented by a plug 25. A lead 26 then goes to an electromagnetic device 21, having an armature core. 28 connected through a link 29 to the actuator member 30 for a counting or registering device, generally depicted at 3!. This latter device may be mounted in any convenient place on or about the cabinet Ill. From the coil 21 is led a wire 32 connected to a cross wire 33 mounted between suitable posts 34 as shown, at the low end of the table I 2. Similar posts 35 are mounted on opposite sides at the high end of the table and they serve to carry a cross wire 36. These two overhead cross wires 33 and 36 are inter-connected by a series of four, spaced, lengthwise running, overhead wires 31.

Pivotally carried intermediate their ends on the shafts 22, are a series of ten obstacle members which may be in the form of bowling pins 38, each having a bearing bushing 39 for mounting the same in the usual bowling set-up arrangement on said shafts 22. Means M! is provided to hold each pin in its selected position against axial displacement along its shaft mounting. Each obstacle pin at its lower end is loaded with a weight counterbalance 4| and is provided with a rubber bumper ring 42 to receive the impact of a steel ball rolling down the table, such a ball being illustrated at 43. These obstacle pins 38 are respectively positioned for rotation or swin ing movement adjacent a wire 31 so that a crank arm 44 associated with each pin 33 may when the pin swings engage a wire 31, each arm M. being provided with a lateral extension 5 for that purpose. It is also to be noted that each arm 44 has metallic contact with the corresponding sleeve 39 and shaft 22. This completes the detail description of the parts of the improved game.

In operation, the respectiveobstacle pins 38 by means of the weights Al and crank arms M are counterbalanced normally to hold the :pins in a vertical position as shown in Figure 2. When a steel or other heavy ball is now projected by the element 19 :it eventually gravitates down the inclined table 12 in the manner heretofore described. Should the ball roll against one or more pins 38 in its course and impinge against same,

it follows that such contacted pins will be swung around their axes and have enough energy imvertical position. While the obstacle herein shown is specifically shaped to simulate a bowling pin, it is obviously possible to utilize some other shape just as well, the important thing being that whatever its shape, the pin be pivotally carried above and clear of the table.

It can now be seen that an improved and simple game structure has been provided to achieve the objects of the invention as heretofore recited.

It is the intention to cover herein all changes .and modifications of the example disclosed,

which do not in material respects constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a ball rolling game, a substantially horizontal table over which a ball is rollable, parallel spaced stationary cross shafts including means to support same over the table, parallel spaced overhead wires including means to support same over the table at right angles to the shafts, pins hinged respectively on the shafts, said shafts and wires comprising a normally open electrical circuit, and each pin having a contact member to hit an associated wire when a ball rolling on the table engages and swings a pin to close the said electric circuit.

2. In a ball rolling game, a substantially horizontal table over which a'ball is rollable, parallel spaced stationary cross shafts including means to support same over the table, parallel spaced overhead wires including-means to support same over the table at right angles to the shafts, pins hinged respectively on theshafts, said shafts and wires comprising a normally open electrical circuit and each pin having a contact member to hit an associated wire when a ball rolling on the table engages and swings a pin, the 'contactmembers being irregularly shaped and each including an extension and connected to its pin intermediate the ends of the latter.

BON G.1MACDOUGALL. 

